Little Annoyances

Maybe it's because we work closely and maybe it's because we spend more than a fair amount of time together socially, but whatever the reason PR Waif is one person who can try my last good nerve. Usually, I'm quite capable of taking a deep breath, counting to ten, and letting the moment pass, but in the past week things have been taken to a new level of annoyance.

Let's review some of her perky, wrong, and/or frustratingly ridiculous comments:

"This is crostini. It's like bruschetta, only warm."
Referring to an appetizer at a business dinner earlier in the week.

PR Waif: "I go horseback riding all the time."
Colleague: "Really? I didn't know that about you."
PR Waif: "Sure! But yesterday was the first time in several years."
Overheard in the office.

Me [to a mutual friend]: "Sure, leave it to you to be the only one laughing [at that comment]."
PR Waif: "I'm laughing." [clearly not laughing]

Colleague: "I think I'm going to have the salad."
PR Waif: "Ugh. I'm sick of the salad. Plus, it always makes me so full."
Me: "I've been craving this salad all week. It may be filling, but not as much as their sandwiches."
PR Waif: "I'm getting that salad, too."

PR Waif [to a mutual friend]: "Oh, you're finally starting to stand-up in weddings! Just wait and see how much of a money drain it can be."
Mutual Friend: "Yeah, I know. This isn't the first one I've been in."
PR Waif: "Oh yeah? Like, how many have you been in? I'm in four in 2008."

PR Waif: "Did Customer call you any time recently? He's really pissed."
Me: "Yeah, he left me a couple messages. And we've had numerous email exchanges. He's also been pestering Colleague. What's his problem now?"
PR Waif: "MoC, he's really pissed off. Why do I bother doing my job if you guys always drop the ball?"
Let it be known: No ball was dropped; Customer is just melodramatic and this is his "thing."

I need a serious break from PR Waif. Just being in her presence for more than a few minutes irks me. And I hate that because she can be a very thoughtful, sweet girl. It's just that annoying je ne sais quoi surrounding her that gets me each and every time. Nothing a little break can't fix, though. Too bad there's no "break" any time in the near future. I need a buffer so very badly before I say something I really mean but shouldn't say.

My Favorite Small Town

Galena is one of my very favorite small towns. It's rich in history and is just as cute as a button. There's something about it that's very wholesome and relaxing.

The first time I visited the town, it was a decade ago with one of my good friends over Valentine's Day weekend. We were both on a "break" from our boyfriends and decided we needed to get away. We stayed at Longhollow Point Inn, which is no longer around from what I'm told, and had a cold but enjoyable introduction to the town.

Subsequent trips were with friends for extra-long weekends (which occasionally ran even longer, depending on how much fun we were having), where we usually stayed at Stony Creek Inn. During those years, several of my friends who grew up in that area had moved back and were working in town, so these visits included lots of house parties with the locals. They're good people and can throw a mean after-party.

After 10 years of visits, this time around I stayed at Eagle Ridge and had only one friend in town whose schedule completely clashed with my own. Oh, times have changed.

Not only is the town a bit more...updated (gone are half of the antique shops and in their place are some cute specialty shops and a much-needed variety of restaurants), but I stayed at the "good" resort; the place everyone associates with Galena. And I have to say, though the inn lobby is cozy and the grounds are gorgeous, my room left much to be desired right down to the outdoor entry, the dated decor, and the endless supply of big ugly spiders, swarms of mosquitos and biting flies in the room. I hear the rooms in the inn were nice, though. I wish I could've had one of those.

A highlight of the trip (aside from noting how much the town has changed in the past few years) was meeting Jamie, the sassy owner of the Wine Studio. Her tastings are one of a kind and she has the best international goods stateside. Seriously good stuff. Visit her if you're ever in town.

Though the main purpose of the trip was business, I couldn't help but carve out time to visit my favorite stores (and bars) and acquaint myself with the new offerings (including bars). It was a successful trip from all angles.

Saturday Happenings

One can accomplish a lot when getting up at 7:30 am on a Saturday (who knew?). Take, for instance, my full day (and it's still early yet):

Made egg cups...










...and boy were they a yummy breakfast treat!

Went out to my car to start the day's errands and came across this sight.











Luckily, it missed landing on the cars that ordinarily would be parked in back of my spot -- and the meth house next door.


Swung by Carson's for my favorite quad-annual holiday: Clinique Days. Picked up some hot lipsticks and my freebies.


Had THE BEST EVER Brazilian wax here. The owner is the nicest lady and the best aesthetician. Unfortunately, the storm knocked their power out earlier in the week so they were operating on generators meant only for the wax area and the hair stations...so my much anticipated pedi had to be re-scheduled for next week. Bummer.


Hit Walgreens for some sundries (well, it was meant to be two sundries and turned into an entire armful. My senseless spending gets out of control whenever I walk in there--and I usually walk out wondering why o why I thought I needed beef jerky or candles or new pens).


And now here I am with plenty of day and night remaining. Still up on the day's docket: packing for Galena and some recipe-searching for tonight's dinner. Maybe some Entourage-watching. Definitely some sleeping since the Galena Express carpool is swinging by awfully early for me tomorrow.

Water-Logged in Chicago

I like rain. Sometimes it's ideal for those pensive days or cozy evenings and occasionally welcome after large stretches of enormous Midwest heat. But what we've had the past week has exceeded even my tolerance. Someone in Chicago pissed off the rain gods, and oh boy they were angry.

Last night's storm interrupted every commuter's trip home and caused countless episodes of damage throughout the entire Chicagoland area. I was one of the lucky ones. My electricity stayed on--and being a condo owner, I didn't have to worry about water in the basement. My car did not have any trees fall on it, and aside from wading through the crosswalks on my way home from the train even my street remained relatively water-free.

I, on the other hand, didn't fare quite as well. I naturally forgot my umbrella and was caught in the heaviest of the downpours, lightning strikes and all. Peeling off my clothes as I walked in the door, all I could do was give thanks that I hadn't dressed up and worn fantastic shoes that day, which surely would've been ruined during the walk home.

This morning brought a whole other view. The storms overnight passed and it looked like a war zone. Large branches everywhere...and the river. Oh my god, the river is just massively overflowing. The access road running alongside of it is completely washed out, with standing water coming up to the road signs. Sand bags didn't help that road or the people that live off of it.

Chicagoans have rallied and pulled together. Moving trees, helping out neighbors. We do it all. But Jesus, please, enough already! It's time for the rain to go away so we can enjoy the last remaining weeks of summer before our forever-long winter comes back.

Canasta Auf Deutsche

Playing Canasta with the Germans. That's how I spent my evening. You'd think I was 80 and whooping it up in a Florida seniors home. But no, I was celebrating a 12-year-olds birthday with sushi, the yummiest berry cake, and a couple of rousing games of cards (I had to be taught how to play, of course). Odd? Maybe. Good times? Hell yeah.

During one of the games, CC turned to me and casually mentioned that she rented her duplex in record time and therefore will be moving to NC much sooner than either of us expected.

Though I'm thrilled for her and her hubby (after all, this move will be good for him career-wise and NC is only an AA flight away--and how nice will that be come March, when the winter doldrums are in full swing?) and am well aware that the move is intended to be for only 2 or so years, I guess I never realized how awful the prospect of saying good-bye would be--especially with it seeming just like yesterday when we all welcomed her and her hubby back home (has it really been 4 years?).

Saying good-bye to dear friends just sucks. And even worse: as of right now it appears as though I may be in Germany (yes, of all places...though it's doubtful I'll be playing Canasta with any locals) when they leave town.

So now this news will forever be associated with Canasta. Somehow, it all seems too fitting.

Read a Little

The survey that spurned this article had to have made people reflect on their lives, right? One in four people didn't read a single book last year? I'm so happy I'm a reader.

Amazing Exit Strategy

How lucky that a huge air disaster was averted thanks to a speedy evacuation. I wonder if they'll ever get to the bottom of what caused this explosion...and why exactly China Airlines is plagued with tragedy.

Week in Brazil

Doing business in Brazil is much different than anywhere else. Maybe it's because it's an emerging country or maybe it's just because most business people with whom I've dealt have that "it can wait 'til tomorrow" attitude. Whatever it is, it's made the past month leading up to my important week in Sao Paulo frustrating and amazingly busy.

Adventure #2 in Sao Paulo beat my first journey to the country's seat of business, which wasn't really hard to do. This time around my days were spent fighting traffic that makes Chicago's rush hour look like a drive down a deserted country road. The city is one big traffic nightmare and no amount of planning ahead to get from one end of the sprawling city to the other ensures timely arrivals to sales meetings, evening commitments, and various other team meetings (even when leaving 2 hours between appointments).

Despite sketchy logistics and regular schedule upheavals (all of which were beyond annoying), the trip was a good one, worthwhile from a number of sales and promotional standpoints, and will surely aid my work in the months ahead.

In addition to enjoyable evenings out with co-workers and an amazingly successful evening reception at the Institut Tomie Ohtake, I was treated to two wonderful wonders of Brazil: fantastic cuisine coupled with impeccable service...and hot Brazilian men. Both made up for the stresses of the daily grind.
Though the week was productive on several levels, I was more than happy to return home this morning. To be met with a rainy, cool day was a nice treat as well since I'm too exhausted to even think of enjoying any outdoor activity right now.

So...a quiet evening vegging on the couch and catching up on NetFlix rentals is what's in store for me. I couldn't be happier right now.